Wrench having sliding side jaws adjustable by means of a bar having right and left threads



May 31, 1966 A. BECK WRENCH HAVING SLIDING SIDE JAWS ADJUSTABLE BY MEANS OF A BAR HAVING RIGHT AND LEFT THREADS Filed Oct. 21, 1964 INVENTOR. .AILFQED BECK Mu/L 5 flrraen/eys.

United States Patent 3,253,486 WRENCH HAVING SLIDING SIDE JAWS ADJUSTA- BLE BY MEANS OF A BAR HAVING RIGHT AND LEFT THREADS Alfred Beck, 4814 Linscott Place, Apt. 2, Los Angeles, Calif. 90016 Filed Oct. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 405,506 Claims. (Cl. 81-163) This invention relates to a wrench which can be adjusted to different sizes of nuts and more particularly to an adjustable wrench which has substantially the gripping power of a fixed socket wrench.

Prior to my invention when there was a need for a solidly gripping wrench the normal practice was to use a fixed socket wrench of the desired size and shape. None of the adjustable wrenches available were suitable for siutations where a large amount of torque was to be applied- The adjustable wrenches available tended to slip when any significant amount of torque was applied because their jaws were not in a solid gripping position since they gripped only two sides of a nut.

Hence, the solidly gripping fixed socket wrench has been widely used. However, since this type of wrench is not adjustable a set of different size jaws is necessary to fit each different size of nut. It is apparent that to have available such a set of wrench jaws can be quite burdensome since the variety of nut sizes can be extensive.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a wrench which is adjustable and has significantly greater gripping power than conventional adjustable wrenches.

Another object of this invention is to provide a wrench gripping member having adjustable replaceable jaws which fit more than two sides of a nut.

A further object of this invention is to provide an adjustable wrench which has jaws that open and close on an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the handle.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an adjustable socket wrench which has replaceable jaws and a handle which can be pivoted to different posit-ions within a plane which is perpendicular to the axis of the line of movement of the jaws.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following illustrative description of my invention.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a double headed embodiment of this invention with wrench heads on both ends of a handle;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of ahead of the adjustable socket wrench embodying my invention with a portion of the housing removed;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom elevational view of the head of the wrench of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of the head of the wrench of FIGURE 2 taken through plane 4-4.

FIGURE 5 is a bottom sectional view of a form of wrench jaw adapted to fit octagonal nuts;

FIGURE 6 is a bottom sectional view of a form of wrench jaw adapted to fit quadrangular nuts;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational, partially sectional view of the head of the wrench shown in FIGURE 2, but with a different type jaw; and

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view taken through plane 8-8 in FIGURE 7.

In general, this invention is a wrench having a head with an adjustable gripping mechanism. The wrench head is comprised of a housing internally supporting a bar that has two oppositely threaded portions extending from each end of the bar toward its center. Two opposing jaws are extensions of internally threaded elements 3,253,485 Patented May 31, 1966 that engage each of the sections of the bar and protrude through a slot in the housing. These opposing jaws each have at least two faces that can be moved toward or away from each other by rotating the threaded bar. Hence, by rotating this threaded bar the jaws can be moved toward each other so as to grip various sizes of nuts. The jaws can be replaced with jaws having appropriately angled jaw faces matched to fit the particular nut desired to be turned.

By attaching a handle to the wrench head it can be turned so as to loosen or tighten nuts which are gripped by the wrench jaws.

Referring to the drawings, wrench head 21 is attached to an end of handle 23. A similar wrench head 22 can be attached to the other end of handle 23 and since it is constructed the same as wrench head 21, the following description concerning wrench head 21 is applicable to wrench head 22. The handle 23 is pivotally connected by means of pin 29 to boss 25 projecting from housing 27.

Supported by and within the housing 27 is bar 31 having two oppositely threaded external portions 31a and 31b which are separated from each other by knurled turning knob 33. The knob 33 can be turned by reaching through the cut-out portion 33a in the housing 27. Engaging each of the externally threaded portions 31a and 31b, respectively, of bar 31 are complementary internally threaded portions 32 and 34 of follower elements 35 and 37. Jaws 41 and 43, protruding through a longitudinal slot 27a in the bottom of housing 27, are continuations of follower elements 35 and 37, respectively. Each of the jaws has at least two .faces 42 which may be positioned at different angles 44 relative to each other as shown in FIG- URES 5 and 6 and may have faces 42 of different sizes as shown in FIGURE 8. The angles 44 between the faces of the jaws are matched to the angles of the sides of the nuts to be turned.

By attaching wrench heads 21 and 22 with differently angled jaws 41 and 43 to both ends of handle 23 the wrench can readily be available for nuts with several different numbers of sides. When the slot 33a extends the full length of the housing 27 the jaws 41 and 43 can be replaced by removing the respective caps 45 and 47 from the ends of housing 27. Then by rotating bar 31 the elements 35 and 37 and their respective jaws 41 and 43 can be unscrewed from each of the ends of bar 31. They can be replaced by screwing similar elements 35 and 37, with differently angled and/ or sizes of jaws 41 and 43, onto the bar 31.

The internally threaded members 35 and 37 have their jaw portions 41 and 43 positioned so that their respective inner jaw faces are angled toward each other when assembled on the threaded bar 31. Since the angles 44 between the faces 42 on each jaw are selected to be the same as those of the nut to be engaged the jaws will close with equal pressure on the sides of the nut and be securely locked to the nut when it is turned.

In operation, jaws for the wrench which are suitable for the job at hand are selected. These jaws 41 and 43 have faces 42 angled to match the sides of the nut which is to be turned. Then the internally threaded members carrying the selected jaws are screwed onto the bar 31 after removing end caps 45 and 47 from housing 27. The end caps are replaced and knurled turning knob 33 is turned so as to cause the jaws 41 and 43 to engage the nut to be turned. While several forms of jaws 41 and 43 as shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 are each of the same size, FIGURE 8 shows jaws with the same angles between the faces but with the jaw 43 smaller than jaw 41 so that the jaws are offset somewhat and can be adapted to fit nuts of a relatively small size. In all of the jaws in this invention the jaws have at least two faces.

These jaws are movable toward or away from each other on an axis which is perpendicular to the plane within which the handle is attached.

It should be noted here that conventional adjustable wrench jaws generally are single faced and advance and recede on an axis parallel to the line of the handle not perpendicular thereto. Since conventional adjustable wrenches do not have these hereinbefore described advantageous features they have inferior gripping power to my invention. In addition, the jaws of my wrench are thin and have flat parallel back and face surfaces so as to be able to reach countersunk nuts, whereas conventional adjustable wrench jaws are generally thick and tapered so as to be unable to reach countersunk nuts.

Since the handle 23 is pivotally mounted to boss 25 of the wrench head 21, it can be moved to different angular inclinations so as to avoid obstacles which may be in the way when the wrench head is turned. Also, a ratchet handle (not shown) could be mounted on the boss 25 of the wrench head 21.

The previously described preferred embodiments of my invention are meant to be illustrative only and not a limitation upon the scope of my invention which covers variations within the spirit thereof as defined by the following claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by letters Patent is:

1. An adjustable socket wrench comprising: a circular tubular elongated housing having a longitudinal slot therein the full length thereof and open through both ends, jaw blocks including follower elements having external surfaces generally conforming to and engaging the inner surface of the housing and slidable axially therein, said jaw blocks being formed with oppositely threaded bores aligned axially of the housing, each block embodying a reduced neck section extending through said slot and a plural faced nut engaging section extending outwardly from said neck section, the nut engaging sections cooperating to provide a grip having at least four nut engaging surfaces, an externally threaded bar the threads of which are oppositely pitched from a central region and engaged with the respective threaded bores of the follower elements, means for rotating said bar,

said bar being free of engagement with said housing and the spread of the nut engaging sections, said jaw blocks being replaceable by rotation of said bar sufiiciently to retract said jaw blocks past the ends of the housing, and a handle pivotally attached to said housing centrally thereof at a region generally diametrically opposite the axis of the grip adapted for movement in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the bar whereby a torque may be applied to the housing on the axis of the grip.

2. An adjustable socket wrench as defined in claim 1 in which replaceable stops are provided at each end of the housing to prevent inadvertent retraction of the jaw blocks past the ends of the housing.

3. An adjustable socket wrench as defi'ned in claim 1 in which the follower elements are relatively thick axially to furnish adequate thread surface, and the nut engaging sections have parellel front and rear faces and are relatively thin to permit access to nuts with restricted clearance thereabout.

4. An adjustable socket wrench as defined in claim 1 in which there is a central aperture in the housing, a knurled ring centrally on the bar disposed entirely within the housing and accessible through the aperture for rotating the bar.

5. An adjustable socket wrench as defined in claim 4 in which the nut engaging sections are offset toward each other from the follower elements, and each nut engaging section comprises two front faces angularly joined, the lateral dimensions of the faces on one said section being smaller than on the other whereby said sections may approach more closely than if both had the larger lateral dimensions.

.References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 96,203 10/1869 Coes 8l 77 337,986 3/1886 Palmer 8l-165 X 472,147 4/1892 Sullivan 8l163 X 547,534 10/1895 Barnett 8l-77 875,702 1/1908 Ely 81-167 1,542,071 6/1925 McKeon 8l177 1,612,713 12/1926 Fienberg 81-163 X 2,801,562 8/1957 Stricklett et al. 8l163 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

MILTON S. MEHR, Examiner. 

1. AN ADJUSTABLE SOCKET WRENCH COMPRISING: A CIRCULAR TUBULAR ELONGATED HOUSING HAVING A LONGITUDINAL SLOT THEREIN THE FULL LENGTH THEREOF AND OPEN THROUGH BOTH ENDS, JAW BLOCKS INCLUDING FOLLOWER ELEMENTS HAVIG EXTERNAL SURFACES GENERALLY CONFORMING TO AND ENGAGING THE INNER SURFACE OF THE HOUSING AND SLIDABLE AXIALLY THEREIN, SAID JAW BLOCKS BEING FORMED WITH OPPOSITELY THREADED BORES ALIGNED AXIALLY OF THE HOUSING, EACH BLOCK EMBODYING A REDUCED NECK SECTION EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SLOT AND A PLURAL FACED NUT ENGAGING SECTION EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID NECK SECTION, THE NUT ENGAGING SECTIONS COOPERATING TO PROVIDE A GRIP HAVING AT LEAST FOUR NUT ENGAGING SURFACES, AN EXTERNALLY THREADED BAR THE THREADS OF WHICH ARE OPPOSITELY PITCHED FROM A CENTRAL REGION AND ENGAGED WITH THE RESPECTIVE THREADED BORES OF THE FOLLOWER ELEMENTS, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID BAR, SAID BAR BEING FREE OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID HOUSING AND BEING SUPPORTED IN SAID FOLLOWER ELMENTS, WHEREBY ROTATION OF SAID BAR WILL CONCURRENTLY MUTUALLY ADVANCE OR RETRACT SAID JAW BLOCKS TO OR FROM EACH OTHER TO ADJUST THE SPREAD OF THE NUT ENGAGING SECTIONS, SAID JAW BLOCKS BEING REPLACEABLE BY ROTATION OF SAID BAR SUFFICIENTLY TO RETRACT SAID JAW BLOCKS PAST THE ENDS OF THE HOUSING, AND A HANDLE PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO SAID HOUSING CENTRALLY THEREOF AT A REGION GENERALLY DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE THE AXIA OF THE GRIP ADAPTED FOR MOVEMENT IN A PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO THE AXIS OF THE BAR WHEREBY A TORQUE MAY BE APPLIED TO THE HOUSING ON THE AXIS OF THE GRIP. 